A Saving Memory
by Ashi Ruby
Summary: “Kabuto-san...thank you for saving me.” He chuckled, “Anytime Sakura-san.” One-shot.


Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Author's Note: This fic comes from a mini AMV I'm trying to make, along with a collage I made today in Photoshop. Anyway, enjoy!

And yes, this is semi-AU for the different scenes I portrayed in this. Okay? Good!

A Saving Memory

As she stared at the starry sky, she wondered why he went to such great lengths to keep her safe. He practically gave up his life for her, just trying to keep her protected from the dangers that came at her.

Like at the Chunin exams. Their enemy threw a kunai at her, knowing that she was an easy target. Her reacted quickly, pushing her out of the way and taking the weapon's hit. She screamed his name and wanted to reach his side, but luckily for him Naruto came in and did the last minute save. Sure, he looked like a showoff, but she was extremely grateful.

Afterwards, in a rare chance of privacy, she looked up at him, being a head shorter than the older teen.

"Kabuto-san...thank you for saving me."

He chuckled, "Anytime Sakura-san."

* * *

She didn't learn until later that he was a traitor, working for Orochimaru. At the time, she didn't know that Kakashi-sensei had fought him when he tried to kill Sasuke. It was when Naruto came home after the mission with the sannin Jiraiya did she learn the truth.

"I would've never thought that he..." Shizune muttered.

"He was such a great guy in the Chunin exams. I mean, he saved Sakura-chan when a kunai was thrown at her," Naruto said in aspirated surprise.

"Kabuto had all of us fooled," Kakashi added quietly

She gasped softly, unbelieving of what they had said. _'A traitor...that whole time he had been making fools of us, gathering information for Orochimaru's use,'_ she thought in her surprise.

"_Kabuto-san...thank you for saving me."_

_He chuckled, "Anytime Sakura-san."_

_'Was saving me all part of your act too?'_ she questioned to herself, knowing that he wasn't there to answer it himself.

"What surprised me about him though...I could have sworn I heard him mutter Sakura's name. Are they in a relationship?" Shizune asked, forcing Sakura to perk up with emerald eyes widened. Naruto shook his head, "She's so obsessed with the teme that she wouldn't have a relationship with him, even without knowing the truth."

She looked down at the ground then finally turned on her heel, running towards a place for her to think. _'You said my name...why Kabuto-san?'_ she asked, becoming her only thought.

* * *

To tell the truth, he didn't know why he had such a reaction to the rosette. Ever since he landed eyes on her at the start of the Chunin exams, he had been a little...smitten, he thought was the correct word, with her.

So naturally when the kunai came after her, he had to save her. Quickly he pushed her out of the way, taking the hit for himself. He heard her call his name as their enemy tried to go in for another attack, but to his luck (and hers, knowing full well that she was going to jump in at any moment), Naruto had came in and rendered the three unconscious.

Later, in a bit of lucky privacy, she approached him, her lips parted slightly to speak.

"Kabuto-san...thank you for saving me."

He chuckled, "Anytime Sakura-san."

* * *

During his battle with Naruto, he had small flashes back towards the Chunin exams, mainly during his mockings of him. But there was one person that sparked into his mind at a random moment, her lips forming a gentle smile. It made him freeze for a moment, muttering her name softly.

Shizune looked at him for a quick moment, _'Sakura?'_

He had no idea that she had heard him and had questioned it later among the others, asking of a relationship between the two of them.

He thought back again at her face, smiling with her eyes grateful.

"_Kabuto-san...thank you for saving me."_

_He chuckled, "Anytime Sakura-san."_

* * *

It was a few weeks later when they met again. She was on an important mission with Naruto and Jiraiya in a last-ditch effort to rescue Sasuke from Orochimaru.

Their meeting was a spark of insults and kunais, until the arrival of the snake sannin himself. Her body stiffened and her eyes widened, scared to the core. It was at that point he felt concern for her, remembering the time at the exams when he took the hit for her.

"Kabuto...finish off this girl so she doesn't have to suffer anymore."

He said not a word and looked over his shoulder at him, "No..." Orochimaru glared at him, "What was that?"

"I can't kill her, Orochimaru-sama."

He chuckled, "I see...then I guess I'll have to kill her myself." The sannin took out a kunai, hidden somewhere within his clothes, and threw it at her. She closed her crying eyes, waiting for the hit.

"Sakura-san!"

She opened her eyes to see the kunai being deflected and the sudden body in front of her. "Ka-kabuto-san?" she whispered, surprised by his sudden actions. He glared at Orochimaru in defiance, making the sannin angry.

"Betraying me, Kabuto?"

"I won't let you hurt her."

Orochimaru chuckled, waving his hand as a snake came out from his sleeve. With one quick moment, he pushed her out of the way and took the bite of the snake. He was sent against the wall, his head slamming hard against it and blood trickling from his mouth.

"Kabuto-san!"

"A punishment for your defiance..."

She stood up and started to run towards him, only to be stopped by his glare, not hidden behind his usual frames. "No! Get out of here!" he yelled, limply trying to lift his arm to wipe the blood from his lip. Orochimaru smirked while Sakura turned around, her emerald eyes glaring. She took out a kunai and stood in front of him, facing her fears of the sannin before her.

"My my, does the pup have a little bite?"

"I won't let you hurt him!"

"Heh, a rather big bite indeed. Be glad though, girl, I'm not going to kill you yet. I decided to change my mind."

He chuckled and turned away, walking back through the door he came from. After it closed, she fell to her knees, breathing heavily. She couldn't believe that she tried to stand up to him, despite her mind showing the red flags.

She then heard his cough and looked up. "Kabuto-san!" she cried, rushing to his side. She gently brushed back his bangs, now hung in his face thanks to the attack. Her fingers brushed against his lips, wiping away the blood, "Why did you do that? We're enemies! You weren't supposed to protect me!"

He smirked at her, "Heh...isn't there something else you should be saying?" She looked at him in confusion for a moment, but then lightly smiled as she started to tend to his wounds.

"Kabuto-san...thank you for saving me."

He chuckled, "Anytime Sakura-san."

* * *

"Sakura, it's getting late. You should go inside and get some rest."

She smiled at him, "I like being out here on a starry night. It gives me time to think over things." He chuckled and sat down beside her, his eyes looking up at the sky for a moment before turning towards her, "Like what?"

"Oh, this and that...things about today, childhood memories, such like that."

"Heh...care to be more specific?"

"Nope. I rather have you keep guessing."

He smirked, "My dear Sakura, I have my ways of convincing you." She only returned the expression, "And I have ways to turning that around, my dear Kabuto."

He leaned forward and kissed her lips quickly, giving her no time to react. She pouted, hating his teasing. "Fine...jerk," she muttered, ignoring the satisfied grin that stretched over his lips, "I was thinking of the times you risked your life to protect me. Like back during the Chunin exams, and when I was in Sound looking for Sasuke-kun. You practically tried to get yourself killed trying to keep me safe."

With a chuckle, he ran his fingers quickly through her short, pink locks, "When I met you, you can say it was, hm...love at first sight, is the term." She laughed, "So cheesy." She smiled and rested her head against his shoulder, staring at the stars above. She parted her lips and with a small laugh, she spoke the words of memory.

"Kabuto-san...thank you for saving me."

He chuckled, "Anytime Sakura-san."

* * *

As you can see, I put a running theme throughout the story. Which is really the first time I've done that in a very long time. Anyway, hope you enjoyed it!


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